


empty libraries are spooky

by sizhu



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: 1300 words in which absolutely nothing happens, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-20
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 22:59:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2485346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sizhu/pseuds/sizhu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Dino Cavallone works at a college library and insists that his favorite library patron needs to take a freakin' break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	empty libraries are spooky

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saunatonttu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saunatonttu/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIJA~~ i hope you like it~ <3

The library was empty. It was fall break, leaving the campus eerily similar to a dried up ghost town. Only a handful of students remained on camps – those that lived too far from campus to go home, and those who had been assigned cruel amounts of homework despite the fact that fall break was supposed to be, you know, a _break._

Such one case was Irie Shouchi, who had a midterm due the first class after fall break – a midterm that consisted of a ten page long research paper for one of his Computer Science classes.

At the very least, since it _was_ fall break, Shouichi didn’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being seen in the library doing homework – since, you know, _no one was around_. But, that had its drawbacks, as well. The library was usually quiet, but now, with the entire campus having been raptured away by some benevolent spirit that took people home… It was dark, even with the sun filtering through the windows. It was cold, despite being indoors. And it was quiet – _graveyard_ quiet.

To Shouichi, the whole “quiet as the grave” thing was creepy. Too creepy.

He liked his solitude, especially when it came to homework, but this kind of isolation was just a _little_ too much. Especially since rumors had been going around about the library being _haunted_ – rumors about how a student had gotten so stressed out from exam week that he snapped and smashed a window open to jump out. The rumor is that his ghost still walks the aisles and preys on those that don’t take breaks from school – breaks that would save other students from the same mental break that he’d suffered, the one that lead him to jump out the window.

But it’s not like Shouichi _believed_ in such superstitions. Oh, _no_! He was a man of _science_ and there wasn’t any scientific evidence of the afterlife or hauntings (yet). But even he, all scientific evidence and empirical studies and hard facts, even he couldn’t deny the eerie feeling settling over him like an itchy wool blanket.

Still, he squared his shoulders and set to work, cracking open a few books and arranging them around his laptop so he could refer back to them easily. Rumor and eerie feeling or not, this paper was due by the end of break, first thing, and Shouichi was going to get it finished – maybe even in time to have at least _one_ day off to rest and recuperate.

 

Hours later, Shouichi was so into his work that he hadn’t noticed the large figure approaching him from the holds desk. He hadn’t even realized he had been working nonstop since before noon, and it was now well after five.

So, when the stranger approached and dropped a blanket over his shoulders and set a cup of coffee in front of him, the only logical reaction was to let out a shrill, very unmanly shriek.

The stranger blinked and laughed softly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Panic didn’t last very long – especially not after hearing the “stranger’s” voice. “Oh. My. God. _Dino-san, don’t do that_!! I thought you were—”

“I’m sorry.” Dino apologized again, smiling. “I brought you coffee. And a blanket, since it’s been getting colder. Your fingers are turning a little purple-ish.”

“..Oh….” Shouichi blinked, looking at his hands. Dino was right, his fingers _did_ look cold. He looked up  and he picked up the coffee that Dino brought him. He sighed in contentment, feeling the warmth sink into his skin. “…Thanks, Dino-san.”

Dino shrugged lightly, and grinned a bit. “So, what did you think I was when I scared you?”

“O-Oh… Uhm…” Shouichi blushed and lowered his head, staring at his computer screen. “… It’s really… creepy in here today.”

Dino blinked at Shouichi, and somehow managed to connect the dots. He laughed softly. “I’m sorry.  No restless spirit here. I tried calling your name to get your attention, but you were so engrossed in your work… I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“Oh, no… It’s…” Shouichi waves his hand. “I totally didn’t think you were the restless spirit of some student that jumped out the window or anything like that…!”

Dino chuckled quietly. “Well, that’s good. Anyway, it’s getting pretty late, you know. You’ve been here for eight hours, are you sure you don’t want to stop for the day and rest?”

“But… It’s ten pages and it’s due the class after break ends…”

“It’s okay.” Dino smiled. “I’ll put the books behind the holds desk for you to access tomorrow. I mean, I know no one’s around since it’s break, but that way you’ll know where they are and won’t have to worry about finding them after I have to re-shelve them. You look like you need a break, anyway.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s no problem.”

“…Okay.” Shouichi nodded. He couldn’t say no to Dino’s insistence on taking a break and getting rest – not when Dino gave him that charming smile and it’ll-be-okay look. Besides, he could always get back to work on the paper when he got back to his dorm…

“Let me just get these books checked in behind the counter,” Dino said, humming. “And after, how about I treat you to dinner?”

Shouichi’s cheeks burned. W-was Dino asking him out? _Him_? Wh-why…?

Dino tilted his head. “…Shou? Are you feeling well…? You’re awfully red…”

“Y-yes! I’m fine, really.” Shouichi scratched his cheek. “…Why do you want to treat a student to dinner?”

“…Because you haven’t eaten a single thing since you’ve been here?”

“…Oh.” Shouichi blinked. His cheeks burned again when his stomach gurgled angrily. “…Yeah, food is probably a good idea…”

Dino laughed. “Yes, yes, it is. And, this way, I can make sure you don’t sneak back onto your computer to do work when you should be taking a much, much needed break.”

Shouichi coughed slightly. “…Er…”

“Ah! You _were_ going to do that!” Dino feigned a scandalized look. “Due date or no due date, you’re taking that break, Shou. Even if I have to sit in your empty dorm with you.”

 

Shouichi hadn’t been able to protest. He found himself sitting in his dorm room with Dino, awkwardly twiddling his thumbs because Dino had sat himself between him and his laptop. Shouichi pouted at the blond, going as far as huffing at him. Dino just smiled.

“I know, you really want to finish that paper, but trust me, Shou,” Dino said. “You’ll write a better paper if you give yourself a break instead of churning it out all at once.”

“But…”

Dino shook his head. “No buts.”

He smiled. “How about this – I’ll let you finish it tomorrow, and then I can proof it for you.”

Shouchi knit his brows together, contemplating that bargain. “… No interruptions?”

“None except for coffee and food.”

 

Dino certainly kept his promise. The next day, Shouichi finished his paper without any interruptions (other than Dino giving him a few cups of coffee and forcing him to eat some much needed brain food – courtesy of Dino’s stellar cooking).

Currently, Dino was proofreading the ten page monster. The topic went a little over his head, but he could, at the very least, spot grammar and mechanics issues – as well as strengths and weaknesses in the paper.

He had the paper attached to a clipboard in his hand and was marking it with a blue pen – red being far too aggressive for his taste – so he didn’t disturb the sleeping lump curled up half on the bed, half in his lap. Dino smiled, capping the pen and threading his fingers gently through Shouichi’s hair.

Dino hummed, leaning over to place a tender kiss on Shouichi’s head. He removed the redhead’s glasses and set them on the desk nearby, along with the clipboard and pen. He leaned back against the wall and let his hand rest in Shouchi’s hair.

“Sleep well. You certainly earned it…”


End file.
